Mine? Yours
by quickssalgron13
Summary: Quinn has the chance to get Beth back, on the condition she's still with Puck. So, she lies to him to form a fake relationship in order to get their daughter back. Will things become real for Quinn?What happens when things don't go as planned?
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**_

_**A/N: So, I think this could have happened, or would maybe happen. It could, maybe.**_

* * *

_I'm strong on the surface, not all the way through.._

**_5 years ago.._**

_"Can I at least say goodbye to her? Please," Quinn pleaded, her eyes locked on her daughter who was sat on the rug with her wooden blocks. _

_"I asked you to leave," Shelby repeated, staring the blonde down. She didn't understand why her daughter's mother hated her so much, so much that she had attempted to take Beth back from her. _

_"Please," Quinn whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks, her eyes begging for the chance to say goodbye to her baby. _

_Shelby sighed in defeat and nodded, crossing the room to lift Beth up, carrying her over to Quinn. _

_"Hi," Quinn smiled tearfully as she took Beth into her arms, memorising every inch of her little girl who smiled at her, her little fingers splayed across the firm flesh of her breast. "I need you to know how much I love you, that I gave you up because I love you. I'm not a good person, Beth. I'm bad, I lie and I hurt people. And I can't hurt you. I'm a bad person, but somehow I managed to make you, and you are every_  
_thing good in this world. You're my gift from God; he sent you down here to save me. I love you, so much, and one day we're going to meet again, I promise. One day you'll know who I really am, and we're going to spend lots of time together, I know it. I have to go away now, so that I can get better, be better, so the next time you come back into my life, I can be the mother you deserve. You're my perfect thing, and if I could turn back time and keep you, I would do it in a heartbeat. Giving you up is the biggest mistake of my life, and I have to learn to live with that. I love you, more than anything, Beth. I'm your mommy, and nothing is going to change that. Nothing. I love you, my sweet little girl. Mommy loves you, so much. I'll see you again soon, I promise," Quinn promised through her tears, hugging her daughter tight to her, breathing in her sweet baby smell, already missing her baby._

_Beth frowned at Quinn's tears, shaking her head and reaching up to touch her cheek, stunned by the wetness she felt. _

_"Mama," Beth chirped, patting her cheek with her tiny hand, scrunching her shoulders up with a happy grin at her mother who sobbed loudly. It seemed Puck had been teaching her to associate the title 'mama' with Quinn, whilst 'mommy' was left for Shelby. She would have to thank him for that at some point._

_"I love you, Beth. You have no idea how much I love you. I promise that one day I'm going to come back for you, and I'll be ready to be the mother you deserve. You're the best thing about me, the only thing I've done right in my life. Be happy, Beth. Enjoy your life, and know that I'll be thinking about you every second of every day. I love you. Mommy will come back for you one day, I promise," Quinn whispered, kissing her forehead for a long moment before handing her baby back to Shelby, tears streaming down her face._

_Beth let out a loud wail and reached out her arms for Quinn, kicking her legs and trying to grab at her. _

_"I love you," Quinn sobbed, stroking over her blonde curls before grabbing her purse and fleeing the apartment. _

_That night she went running back to Puck, to the one man that knew how she was feeling, the one man she knew loved her, and gave herself to him again. His body on top of her, his hungry kisses, his hands on her body, the way he touched her breasts, the way he felt moving inside of her. She allowed herself to be swept up in the pleasure of their bodies crashing together desperately, Puck's touch being the only thing that could take away the pain of losing her baby all over again._

* * *

"Miss Fabray? Miss Fabray!" Her lawyer, Alison called, waving her hand in front of Quinn's face, the blonde blinking and letting the memories melt away, remembering she was sat in an office in New York.

"I'm sorry, I lost focus for a moment. Too many memories," Quinn sighed, pulling a face at herself and sitting up straighter, giving her lawyer her full attention.

Alison gave her a sympathetic smile and squeezed her hand before continuing. "I know you didn't expect to be contacted about the adoption of your daughter, Beth, but you are listed as the emergency contact for your child, and due to the clause in the adoption papers, you are the first person to be contacted," Alison smiled, flipping through the adoption papers and handing a sheet to Quinn with a section that was highlighted.

In truth, Quinn hadn't bothered to read the papers when she had signed them. She was crying too much to even see the words, and wasn't surprised that her signature was a simple scribble.

"I don't understand, this says that I would be contacted in case of emergency? My daughter is barely seven years old, what kind of emergency are we talking about here? Is she ok? Where is she?" Quinn asked in confusion, panic swelling up inside her as she re-read the piece of paper that had taken her baby from her. She hated these papers.

"Your daughter and her adoptive mother were involved in a very serious car accident yesterday. Beth is fine, a broken wrist but otherwise unharmed. Shelby however was not as fortunate. We are looking for permanent guardianship of your daughter. If you can't take her, she will be placed into foster care," Alison explained, a grim expression on her face as she sighed and handed a new set of papers to Quinn.

"Oh my God," Quinn breathed, her hands flying to the golden cross that hung around her neck, staring down at the papers in her lap. Would these give her her baby back? Would this be the way that she finally got her little girl back in her arms? She had tried through legal connections to try to take Beth back only last year, but the case had been dismissed before it even got to court. "Will these mean my daughter is legally mine again? She can't be taken from me by any of Shelby's family?" Quinn asked, looking up at her lawyer, needing to be sure that her daughter wouldn't be snatched away again.

"I'm afraid that leads us to the next thing we should discuss. Shelby's mother is suing you for custody of Beth, on grounds that you're an unfit mother," Alison sighed, rubbing her face. Quinn had been through enough over her daughter and battles for custody. It didn't seem fair that she had to fight yet another.

"I've never even met the woman, how can she say I'm not fit to be a mother?" Quinn demanded in frustration. She was so close to getting her child back that she could taste it, and now it seemed she might lose her before she even got her back? Surely this was a cruel cosmic joke. The universe must really hate her.

"It seems Shelby told her about the things you did during your senior year. It doesn't give her a strong case against you, but she in a very influential woman and I hate to be the one to say this but she could win this," she admitted, flinching at the ragged breath from Quinn.

"How do I fight this?" Quinn asked after a long moment, looking her lawyer in the eye. She would fight everyone on this earth if it meant her baby was hers again.

"We have a good case, Quinn. You have a successful job, your own house, money. The judge will see that you are capable of taking over guardianship of Beth. The only other thing that could make your case stronger is if you and Beth's father were still together, but I don't know if that is the case so-"

"Puck and I are together," Quinn lied, cutting her off. It was a lie, but if she got Beth back then it was worth it.

"You are?" Alison asked in surprise, a smile lighting up her face as she wrote it down, Quinn taking it as a good sign.

"Yes, we're together. I love him," Quinn smiled, lying through her teeth. "He's away on business right now, or he would have come with me today."

"Ok, this is great. This will show that Beth has a stable home to go home to, especially as you're her birth parents. Things are looking good, sweetie," Alison assured her, writing quickly. This was definitely going to strengthen their case.

"When can I see my daughter?" Quinn breathed, tears gathering in her eyes. It wasn't going to be an easy fight, she knew that already, but Beth was worth it. Even if she had to grovel to Puck for his help. She would do everything and more for her child.

"Beth is at the local hospital. There's nothing wrong with her besides her wrist. Her nurse is more than happy for you to visit as soon as we're done here," Alison told her, getting up and pressing a new sheet of papers into her hands. "If you're ready to do this, just sign the papers."

Quinn nodded and took a pen from the desk, singing her name clearly on the dotted line, a far cry from the scribble on the original adoption papers. "What now?"

"Now you walk out to your car, get in and go see your little girl," she grinned, handing her the floor number for Beth's room.

The blonde smiled happily and got to her feet, placing the papers carefully on the desk before hugging her lawyer tight. Alison had done a lot for her these past few years and she truly appreciated her help. She couldn't have done this without her.

"Thank you, for everything," Quinn mumbled, pulling back and smiling before heading for the door. She was more than ready to see her baby again and get to hold her again.

"Someone looks happy. Are they finally going ahead with your case?" The receptionist, Martha, asked with a kind smile as Quinn signed out.

"I just got my daughter back."

* * *

"Hi, I'm here to see Beth," Quinn smiled, breathless from jogging up the stairs. She was far too impatient to wait for the elevators.

"Who are you?" The receptionist asked, eyeing the blonde's expensive clothing with a scoff. If this was yet another 'relative', she pitied Beth.

"I'm her mother," Quinn told her, a hint of pride in her voice as she held out the copy of Beth's birth certificate she had, the receptionist smiling a genuine smile at her. "I would have been here sooner, but I was at a meeting with my lawyer."

"We've been expecting you. Beth is right down there, second door on your left," she smiled, pointing down the corridor, Quinn thanking her before heading down the hall, nerves twisting her stomach.

What if Beth hated her? What if she was a terrible mother?

Quinn paused at the door and took several deep breaths before pushing the door open, stepping inside and closing it behind her. The room was actually quite nice for a hospital room, bright pictures of animals on the walls. It was warm and inviting and she was glad Beth had a nice room to stay in.

"Are you my mom?" A small voice asked from the bed, Quinn's eyes growing wide and filling with tears as she laid eyes on her daughter. She was small and blonde, just like her. Hazel eyes, also. Beth was undeniably her daughter.

"What did they tell you?" Quinn asked, taking a seat beside the bed, drinking in as much of Beth as she could. She was so perfect. Her perfect thing.

"That my real mom was coming to see me. I have two mommies," Beth replied, studying Quinn's face before looking down at the paper and pens spread across her bed covers.

"Yes, I'm your mother," Quinn whispered, her voice trembling with tears. She longed to reach out and touch her baby, but she didn't want to overwhelm her.

"Why didn't you want me?" Beth asked, picking up a pink pen and starting to draw.

"I did want you, baby. I wasn't good, so I needed to get better for you," Quinn breathed, taking the plunge and reaching out to touch Beth's hand, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Are you better now?" Beth smiled, looking up from her drawing as she felt a soft hand on hers, Quinn nodding her head. "Then why are you crying?"

"Because I missed you," Quinn sniffed, wiping at her cheeks, hoping she wasn't scaring Beth. The last thing she wanted was to scare her away.

"Oh," she said simply, colouring her picture with her unbroken hand. "I guess I missed you too."

Quinn laughed at that, shaking her head and gently taking hold of her injured arm, kissing her tiny fingers before getting up to sit on the bed. "Do you need any help with that?"

"Can you draw dogs?" Beth asked, looking up at her with a cautious look in her eyes. Quinn was still a stranger to her, and she needed to earn her trust. She hadn't expected Beth to fall into her arms and tell her she loved her, so she was thankful for every little bit of acceptance from her daughter.

"Sure," Quinn breathed, taking the brown pen Beth handed her and starting to draw a dog for her.

"You stick your tongue out when you're drawing like me," Beth noticed with a grin, happy to share something with this woman. Besides the hair colour.

"My sister used to tell me she would cut my tongue off when I was little," Quinn laughed, handing her back the paper.

"What's your name? I'm Beth," Beth told her, holding her hand out for a handshake, Quinn laughing at her and shaking her hand.

"I'm Quinn," Quinn smiled, drawing in a ragged breath as Beth touched the wetness on her cheeks with the same confused look as she had five years ago.

"Don't cry. You're my friend now, right?" Beth asked, using her sleeve to wipe away Quinn's tears, the blonde closing her eyes and letting out a sob at the gesture.

"Yes, we're friends," Quinn whispered, tucking her hair behind her tiny little ear. She was so amazed by her daughter and her ability to welcome her and accept her, even just a little. She knew she had a long way to go before Beth was ready to accept her as her mommy, but being her friend was enough for her. It was more than she thought she would ever have.

"Miss Fabray, I'm sorry but Beth's visiting hours are up," a nurse smiled, opening the door, Quinn sighing and nodding, watching the nurse leave before reaching for her bag. She froze at the feeling of a little hand grasping her arm, turning back to Beth who was holding on tight to her arm.

"Promise you'll come back tomorrow?" The little blonde whispered, not loosening her hold at all. She liked Quinn; she drew dogs better than her mom had.

"I promise," Quinn promised, pausing for a moment before sweeping Beth up into her arms, hugging her close. "I love you, Beth. I'll always come back for you," she vowed, kissing her forehead gently, Beth smiling slightly. She would always come back for her baby, no matter what. Giving her up was the biggest mistake of her life and she wished she had treasured her pregnancy more instead of worrying about her parents, Finn and the cheerios.

All that mattered was Beth, she was her priority now, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

"Lady Fabray, what do I owe the honour?" Santana asked sarcastically as she picked up the phone. "I'm joking Q, what's up?"

"You know I've been trying to get Beth back?" Quinn asked, hurriedly packing an overnight bag.

"Yeah, I've been the one to pick your ass back up every time you've broken down over the damn cases. So what's happened? Have you tried again? Oh, Q, please tell me you haven't done anything stupid," Santana breathed, pinching the bridge of her nose, Brittany frowning slightly.

"I'm fine, San. Listen, I've just got the chance to have Beth back and I need you to give me Puck's address," Quinn blurted hurriedly. She had decided on the way home from the hospital that she would do whatever it took to get Beth back. And so she had made a plan, starting with Puck.

Santana was silent for a long moment before she sighed. "Quinn, are you drunk? Do you need me to come pick you up?"

"Santana, I'm completely sober, please I just need his address," she sighed, packing her shoes. Trust Santana to make things difficult for her.

"Tell me how you've got Beth back, first," Santana replied, arching her brow at the phone. It better be legal.

"Shelby's dead, San. Beth is mine again, or she will be once the case is sorted, I need his address," Quinn pleaded, grabbing a post it note as she heard the Latina sigh.

"Quinn, he lives in the apartment building down the street from us. Floor thirteen, apartment twenty two," Santana told her finally, hearing silence from Quinn's end of the phone. "Q? Are you there?"

Quinn bit her lip as she held the address in her hand. She was having second thoughts about her plan, afraid it would do more harm than good. But then she caught sight of the drawing Beth had given her today and she knew it was her best option.

"I'm here. Thanks for the help, San," she whispered, zipping up her duffle. She was doing this.

"No problem, tubbers. I'm glad you finally got her back," Santana smiled.

"Me too."

* * *

It was pitch black as Quinn pulled up outside the apartment building, cutting the engine with a sigh. This was the first step to ensuring Beth stayed hers, for good. She got out of the car and locked it, her duffle on her shoulder as she made her way through the building to the elevator, pressing the button labelled 13. It was an expensive building and she was glad that Puck seemed to have made something of himself.

The doors slid open and she stepped out into the hall, taking a deep breath before making her way through to Puck's apartment. She was so nervous she felt sick, but she needed to do this, knocking before she could change her mind.

It took a few moments and she was about to walk away when the door opened, revealing the man she had given herself to many a time. The man she had made her perfect little girl with. He looked as handsome as ever, but in place of his mohawk was a head of dark hair that she longed to run her fingers through. It was then that she realised she had actually missed him.

"Quinn?" Puck asked, shock clear to hear in his voice. He hadn't expected Quinn to be the woman he opened the door to. She looked like she had been crying, and he wondered if she was ok.

"Puck," Quinn breathed, ignoring the little flutter in her body as he said her name.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, his voice kind and warm. Quinn was a pleasant surprise, and he had missed her, even if their relationship was complicated at times.

"This," she mumbled, grabbing hold of his face and pulling his lips to hers, kicking the door shut behind her.

_I've never been perfect, but neither have you._

* * *

**_Thank you for reading. I know it's pretty short but I promise the next chapter will be longer. Please review and have an amazing day :)_**

**_Ps: congratulations to Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Lea Michele on their awards last night. Y'all make me proud. _**

**_Song lyrics used: Linkin Park- Leave Out All The Rest (twilight saga soundtrack)_**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**_

_**A/N: thank you so much for the response to the first chapter! You're amazing :)**_

_**Please enjoy..**_

* * *

Puck and Quinn stumbled blindly into his bedroom, his hand slamming against the wall to find the light switch as Quinn ripped the buttons of his shirt open. Her lips were everywhere: on his, sucking at his neck, nipping at his chest. It was as if she couldn't get enough of him.

Refusing to let her get too far ahead of him, he pushed her back onto the bed and grabbed at her dress, ripping open the buttons that held it together at the front as Quinn thrust her tongue into his mouth. She had almost forgotten how good it felt to kiss him like this, to touch him, to have him touch her. It felt like she had been struck by lightening as his lips moved to her neck, sucking at the wild thrumming of her pulse in her throat. Quinn moaned as his hands brushed up her thighs, ghosting up her body to meet his lips at the mounds of her breasts.

"May I?" Puck asked, his voice husky with lust for her, looking up her body from where his lips were pressed to the patch of skin between her breasts.

"Yes," Quinn breathed, biting on her lip and tilting her head back with a moan as his tongue darted beneath the fabric of her bra. His touch was driving her wild, her hips lifting from the bed of their own accord.

Puck smirked against her breast and pulled her up for a kiss, his free hand flicking open the snap of her bra with practiced ease, letting her fall back against the pillows again. Her body was as beautiful as ever, her breasts heaving with every ragged breath she took. He couldn't stand it any longer, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to the smooth skin of her chest before cupping her breasts, his lips closing around a nipple. Quinn moaned and held him tight to her breast, throwing her head back as he stroked one finger along her damp panties. She should be feeling guilty for using him to get her daughter back, for lying to him and sleeping with him but in this moment she was immune to every thing but the pleasure he was giving to her.

"Mmm, Puck," she moaned, enjoying the weight of his body on top of hers for a moment before throwing him off her and straddling him, pinning him to the bed and kissing him hard. She was in control, she _needed _control. "You didn't think I'd let you top me, did you?" She smirked before kissing at his neck, letting her hips start to grind down against his.

"Fuck, Q," he groaned, seeking out her ass and squeezing, encouraging the movement of her hips against his, her hands on his shoulders keeping him pinned to the bed as she sought out her own pleasure. Her little moans were driving him crazy, watching the pleasure fill her eyes as she rolled her hips.

"Fuck me," she ordered breathlessly, bringing his hands back to her breasts, arching her back as he pinched her nipples, rolling the hard buds between his fingers. Her hands grabbed at his jeans, tugging them down and moaning as his dick sprang free. Totally commando. Some things never changed.

Puck hooked his arms under hers, pulling her chest down against his, holding her tight to him. "Are you sure you want this?" He asked, slipping his hands into her panties to squeeze her ass. He wanted her so badly, but he didn't want her to regret this. Especially because he didn't know exactly what had brought her here. He didn't want to be her bit on the side, her bootycall. They weren't in high school anymore.

"I need it. Puck, I want you," she breathed, leaning in to kiss him, this kiss sweet and gentle, a contrast to the greedy kisses they had been sharing up until now. Quinn had been noticing changes in him, beginning to see that he wasn't the boy from high school anymore. And maybe that was why the guilt was beginning to leak into her veins. But she needed Beth back, she couldn't lose her again. Not now. "Please."

He didn't question her any further, ripping the lace panties from her body and kicking his jeans off, leaving the couple completely naked in the huge bed. Quinn let out a soft whimper brushing her bare skin against his before guiding his hardness to her entrance.

"Protection," he groaned, pausing her, the blonde's hazel eyes meeting his. She was so damn beautiful, her eyes dark with lust as she hovered over him.

"It's ok, I'm on the pill," she murmured, kissing him hard and sinking down on him, throwing her head back and digging her nails into his chest with a loud moan as he filled her completely. It felt so good to have him inside her again and she could see from his face that he felt the same way. "So good," she moaned, sitting up straight on him, lifting herself up before slamming back down, finding a rhythm, bouncing up and down on him.

Puck watched her move in fascination, holding her hips to guide her frantic pace, enjoying the breathy gasps that left her lips every time their hips connected. She looked like an angel sat on top of him, their hips moving perfectly in sync. He sat up suddenly, Quinn wrapping her arms tight around his neck, their faces close and breaths melding together as she rose and fell on him.

"God, Q. You feel so fucking good," he grunted, tangling his fingers in her hair as she kissed him, her thighs trying to clamp shut, signalling to him that she was close. "That's it baby, bounce," he urged, kissing at her neck as she threw her head back, her nails digging into his back.

"Oh, oh, oh God, Puck. I'm close, baby. Oh," Quinn panted, her forehead against his, her hot breath passing over his lips. Her body began to shake in his arms, her hands grabbing at him desperately as she felt her lower body begin to tighten, her moans getting louder.

"That's it, Q. Come on, come for me, babe," Puck urged, her hand soft and warm against his cheek, thrusting up as she slammed down. Her sounds were music to his ears and he swore in that moment that he wouldn't let her go again.

"Oh, Puck. Tell me you love me," she breathed, closing her eyes tight, her breasts bouncing along with her frantic, erratic pace. She didn't know where that request had come from, but she wanted it. Wanted to hear it. Like somehow him loving her would make what she was doing to him ok. In hindsight, it probably made it worse.

"You know I do. I love you," he grunted into her neck, holding her tight as she began to shake and writhe in pleasure. He did love her, he had always loved her.

"Oh God, I'm coming," she whimpered, crying out his name as she came hard, scratching down his back hard enough to draw blood as her whole body tightened.

Puck groaned her name into her neck as he found his release, Quinn riding them both through it, the bed rocking and slamming into the headboard with the force of their movements. Quinn let out a deep, satisfied moan, collapsing against his chest, gasping for air as Puck laid them down on the bed.

There was silence for a long moment other than their gasping pants for air, legs entwined beneath the covers. Quinn felt the guilt hit her like a ton of bricks as he pulled her close, his hand stroking her back to soothe her. What she had done was wrong, but she had to do it. Puck wouldn't care. He didn't matter. There were no feelings there.

"Night, Quinn," Puck murmured, holding her close, as he fell asleep. Everything felt right to him now that she was there with him.

If only Quinn could sleep as easily as he could.

* * *

Quinn blinked her eyes open slowly and yawned, stretching out with a sigh, the silk blankets soft against her skin. Puck was hugged up behind her, his arm flung around her waist protectively. It was a wonder to her how he still had the power to make her feel so good. It was almost enough to cover up the niggling feeling of guilt in her stomach. Puck had welcomed her back with open arms after she lied to him and told him she couldn't keep living without him. She felt awful to play with his feelings like this but she had to make sure they got Beth back for good. Surely he would understand that if he knew why she was doing it.

She slowly crept out of the bed and pulled on his discarded shirt over her naked body, heading for the kitchen. The apartment was huge, and it made her wonder what he was doing for a living to have this much money on hand. It was a good thing though, as the judge would see they both had more than enough money to take care of their daughter.

There were several trophy cases lining the spacious hallway and it gave her a sense of pride to see he had been doing well these past few years. Her phone rang loudly and she grabbed it, answering quickly so it wouldn't wake Puck up. She still had to find a way to break it to him that they had Beth back.

"Hello?" Quinn asked, stepping out onto the balcony to look out at the view. This apartment really was expensive, to have this kind of view.

"Quinn, there are a few things to discuss. Firstly, we've set a date for the custody trial. It's in a month's time," Alison told her, papers rustling from her end of the line.

"So what happens to Beth? I won't have her put in foster care," Quinn told her firmly, leaning against the railings of the balcony.

"Because of the clause in the adoption papers, Beth is legally yours. If it weren't for Ms Corcoran suing you, Beth would be yours permanently. So, unless the Judge decides otherwise at the trial, she's yours. You could take her home tonight if you wanted to," Alison smiled, her voice light and happy. "Honestly, your case looks really good, Quinn. Especially because you're still with her father."

There it was again. Puck. Puck was the catch, the condition. She could have Beth, _if _she had Puck too.

"Where do we go from here? Is there anything else I- we can do to strengthen our case?" Quinn asked, chewing on her lip.

"At this point, no. All you can really do is make sure you have everything possible for Beth. Her own room, furniture, toys. Things like that. And as for you and the father, it's good for you to keep your relationship stress free, for Beth's sake. Stability is key. Will there be any issues with that?" Alison asked, frowning at how quiet Quinn had gotten.

"No, of course not. Puck and I are great, there's no stress," she assured her, because it was true. There was no stress, because she was the one pulling all the strings. He was her puppet, and she felt awful about it, but it needed to be done. She shouldn't feel guilty; Puck wasn't anything to her. Not really. Her lies wouldn't hurt him as such.

"Good. That's good, Quinn. Listen, the hospital are fine with letting you take Beth home tonight, if that's what you both want. They can keep her for another few days though, if it's what you need," Alison offered, Quinn shaking her head.

"No, no. I'm not leaving her in there any longer than she has to be. Call me if there's anything else ok?" She sighed, hanging up and setting her phone down. A month. She had to keep up this pretence and keep Puck in the dark for a whole month. It would be hard, but it was worth it to get Beth.

Warm arms wrapped around her waist and she sighed, letting her body melt back against Puck's warm, hard chest, his head on her shoulder.

"Who was that?" Puck asked, pressing a gentle kiss to her neck, Quinn rubbing his arm lightly.

"Just someone from work, it's nothing important," she lied, turning in his arms to kiss his lips lightly.

"Ok, well I'm gonna make some breakfast if you want some," he offered, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Sure," she smiled, following him back into the apartment, her toes curling in the rich cream carpet.

"Pancakes or waffles?" Puck asked, pulling out items of food from the huge refrigerator, setting them down on the breakfast counter, Quinn leaning over to see, a a small smile on her face.

"Pancakes," Quinn grinned, sitting down on a stool, glancing at the clock. She still had another hour before she could go to visit Beth at the hospital.

"Some things never change," he teased, pulling out a frying pan. He remembered when she would wake him up during the night, pouting at him for pancakes and bacon, blaming it on their baby.

"And some things do. This place is huge," she breathed, looking around her, spotting the huge plasma screen on the living room wall. "What do you do for a living?"

"Seriously?" He asked with a laugh, looking up from his cooking, seeing Quinn was genuinely asking what he did. "I'm a writer. I write music for artists and co-write with some."

"Is that what all the awards are for?" She asked, a touch of awe in her voice. She didn't really listen to music these days so she hadn't heard anything at all from Puck and her friends hadn't told her anything; she never asked about him.

"Yeah. I guess Taylor ran out of room for her Grammys," he shrugged, flipping the pancake and grabbing a plate from the cupboard.

"Swift? That's amazing, Puck. I'm proud of you," she murmured, a soft smile tugging at her lips. She was proud of him, of what he had done with his life. Maybe she should stop underestimating him so much. Clearly, he had a lot of talent.

"I'm sure it's nothing compared to what you've done, what with Yale and all," he smiled, putting her pancake onto a plate and adding whipped cream before handing it to her and starting on his own.

"Yale was fine. I mean, I met a lot of great people and I learnt a lot. It was just different than what I was used to," Quinn sighed, stabbing her fork into her pancake. In truth, her first year at Yale had made so her so miserable and lonely that she had almost dropped out and come home. Not to mention the fact that her professors were always trying to hook up with her.

"It seemed pretty scary when we came to visit you that one time. Every one was so cold and detached. It was weird, but I'm glad you enjoyed it," he offered, flipping his pancake over, catching the blush that filled her cheeks. Neither of them had to think too hard to remember the time he, Santana and Brittany had gone to visit her that first Christmas at Yale. They had been insatiable and had almost been caught having sex under the huge Christmas tree in the main foyer of the dormitories.

"It wasn't so bad once I got used to it. And uh, as for what we did under the Christmas tree, we weren't as quiet as we thought. One of the girls in my law class had actually seen us," she admitted, blushing bright red and stuffing food into her mouth.

"Well, I'm sure we gave her a pretty good show," he teased with a wink, remembering how she had straddled him whilst he was fixing the lights on the tree. It had been fun, trying to keep her quiet as she rode him beneath the green branches. At one point he had to cover her mouth up to muffle the screams she was letting out. There was no wonder that they had been caught.

"Mmm, I'm sure we did. Can I use your shower? I have a meeting in an hour," she sighed, lying yet again. She would tell him about Beth at some point today, she just had to find a way to do it without jeopardizing the plan she had formulated. She didn't want him to figure out what she was doing.

"Yeah, sure. The bathroom is right down the hall," he shrugged, sitting down to eat.

"Thanks," she muttered before hurrying down the hall to shower, hoping to wash away the shred of guilt in her stomach for lying to him like this.

* * *

"Miss Fabray, it's good to see you again. Beth has been asking about you," the receptionist smiled as Quinn signed in, dressed in a simple white dress.

"Please, call me Quinn. How is she?" Quinn asked, handing her the sign in book, hoping Beth hadn't been lonely and neglected whilst she was away.

"She's great, you've got a lively one there," she laughed, shaking her head. "The discharge papers are right here, if you're ready to take her home today."

"Of course, thank you," Quinn replied, taking the papers and heading down the hall to Beth's room. She had come up with a plan whilst she was in the shower. She would take Beth home with her and then call Puck to tell him she'd been given Beth back. He wouldn't question her. Hopefully.

"You came back," Beth smiled, coming out of the little bathroom in her pink pyjamas. She was glad to see Quinn again, she was nice and at least she didn't have to be bothered by nurses now.

"I told you I would," Quinn shrugged with a smile, setting the papers down on the chair. "Do I get a hug, or are we working up to that?"

"Can I shake your hand?" Beth asked, a cheeky grin on her face. She was going to make Quinn work for a hug, if that's what she wanted from her.

"Sure," Quinn laughed, extending her hand to Beth who shook it vigorously before climbing into the bed.

"When do I get out of here? It's boring and smells like dead fish," Beth grumbled, pointing and wriggling her toes with a sigh.

"How do you know what dead fish smell like?" Quinn asked, fighting back tears as she laughed, clutching her stomach. Beth was hilarious, in a very sarcastic way and she loved it!

"Because I'm stuck in a place that smells like 'em," Beth answered simply, looking at Quinn like she was a simpleton. The place smelt like dead fish, how hard was that for her to understand?

"Well, the doctors tell me I can take you home with me today. If that's what you want, of course," Quinn told her, biting her lip. If Beth didn't want to go with her, she would be put into her grandparents care and she didn't want that. She wouldn't ever get Beth back if that happened.

"Home? With you? To your house?" Beth asked nervously, licking her lips. Sure, Quinn was nice and great and all, but did she want to live with her? She didn't know.

"Yes. It doesn't sound like that's something you'd be ok with," Quinn frowned, leaning forwards and taking hold of her tiny little hands. "I'm not going to pressure you to call me mommy or to hug me and ask to sleep in my arms at night. I just- you're my daughter, even if you don't think of me as your mom, and I don't want to leave you in this place that smells of dead fish. You can call me Quinn, and we can just be friends if that's what you want. It's all up to you," she murmured, stroking her little cheek and tucking her hair behind her ear.

Beth was silent for a long moment, swinging her legs back and forth as she puzzled over Quinn's proposition. It sounded pretty good to her and Quinn was her mom too, after all. She would be looked after, even if she didn't call her mommy. "What if I want to sleep in your bed when it thunders? Will you kick me out?"

"No, of course not. I'm just trying to show you that I'm not the bad guy and I'm not going to force you into anything," Quinn smiled, kissing her little nose.

"Oh. Well, I guess I'll let you take me home," Beth grinned, winking at her. Or trying to. It ended up more of an eye scrunch than a wink, but whatever.

"You'll _let_ me take you home?" Quinn laughed, arching her brow at the little girl. She was definitely Puck's daughter. She might have her looks but she was pure Puckerman.

"That depends on whether or not you answer my questions and get the right answers," Beth smirked, arching her brow at her mother, silently challenging her to accept her proposition. Maybe going home with Quinn wouldn't be so bad after all.

"What are your questions?" Quinn asked with a smile, leaning forwards and propping her chin up, watching her daughter carefully. The little blonde was sneaky, and she wondered how Beth would play this to her advantage.

"First, do I have a daddy?" Beth asked, swinging her legs back and forth absently and pursing her lips in thought for a moment. "And do you love him? Are you together like my friends mommies and daddies are?"

Quinn smiled tightly at the question, her stomach clenching for a moment at the hope in Beth's eyes. Clearly, this was something Beth wanted. A real family. "Yes, you have a daddy and yes, we're together," she smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear with a sigh. "Was that the answer you wanted?"

"I'm asking the questions," Beth reminded her, pulling a face at Quinn before thinking up her next question. "Do you have a house or an apartment?"

"I have a house. I don't like apartments, they don't feel like home," Quinn shrugged, stretching her legs out before her. Her house wasn't huge, wasn't super expensive with thousand dollar furniture. It was her special place, furnished and decorated how she liked it.

"Ok, last question. If I go home with you, can you make spaghetti? Mom never cooked cause she was real busy all the time," Beth pouted, batting her eyelashes at her mom who laughed and nodded.

"If you want spaghetti for dinner, then sure. I'll make you spaghetti," Quinn laughed, loving how simple her daughter's questions were. All the seven year old wanted was a family, a house and home cooked meals. If sounded pretty perfect to her.

"Ok, I'll go home with you. _If _you let me watch Frozen," Beth finished with a grin, jumping off of the bed. She was more than ready to leave the fish smelling hospital.

"Deal," Quinn grinned, holding her hand out to Beth for her to shake. She was pleasantly surprised when the little girl simply smiled and slid her hand into hers, keeping hold of her.

Beth held her hand as Quinn filled out the discharge papers and as they left the hospital, only letting go to get into the car.

It was with that act that Quinn comforted herself that what she was doing was a good thing.

* * *

"Wow, you really like the spaghetti, huh?" Quinn asked, watching in amusement as Beth forked mouthful after mouthful of spaghetti into her mouth, the red sauce staining around her mouth. It was the simplest thing to make her daughter dinner, but it was the happiest she'd ever been.

"Where's your food?" Beth asked, sauce splattering out of her mouth onto the white tablecloth, her eyes growing wide, trying to cover the marks with her hands. She didn't want Quinn to be mad at her and send her away.

"I'm on a diet," Quinn shrugged, frowning slightly at the worry in her baby's eyes. Had she hurt herself? "What's wrong, baby?" She asked, hoping she hadn't done something to upset her already.

"Nothing," she squeaked, keeping her hands firmly in place. "What's a diet? Is that food for old people?" She asked, trying to distract the blonde so she could find a way to hide the sauce marks.

"No, it's food for mommies. What's wrong, Beth?" Quinn asked again, growing anxious over what Beth was hiding from her.

"I spilt on the table," she blurted quickly, clapping her hands over her mouth. Quinn was so fancy, so posh and perfect. She was gonna be so mad at her for ruining the tablecloth.

"Oh. That's fine, baby, I spill on it all the time," Quinn shrugged, moving her coffee mug to show her daughter the coffee she had spilt already. It was fine, the cloth could be washed. She wasn't her mother, she didn't care about spilled drinks and food stains.

"You're not mad?" Beth asked, arching her brow at her as if trying to evaluate the situation. Trust was something she would have to earn from her daughter, it seemed.

"No," she answered simply, pausing before grabbing a plate and filling it with spaghetti, deciding that at least for tonight, her diet could wait. "Come on, let's go watch Frozen again," she grinned, taking Beth's plate from the table and laughing as the little blonde leapt off her seat and sprinted into the living room. She really did love to watch that film- she could hear Beth singing loudly already. It was a wonderful sound, to hear her baby laughing and singing.

Quinn set the plates of food down on the table, collapsing onto the sofa with a smile, watching Beth dance around the room, causing photo frames and vases to wobble with every bounce of her feet on the floor. It was an amazing sight, as it was something she had been trying for years to have, to have her baby back. It felt like she was finally whole again and she couldn't help but reach for her phone, dialling Puck's number with a smile. He deserved to see Beth, too. To feel as happy as she did in that moment.

"Hey, babe," Puck answered and she could hear the smile in his voice. God, she felt horrible for doing this, already. "Are you watching Frozen?" He laughed, hearing the music in the background. His sister was eleven and she still blasted that shit whenever he went to visit her.

"How do you even know what Frozen is?" Quinn snorted, forking spaghetti into her mouth whilst Beth continued to dance and sing loudly. It was funny, until now she hated when kids tried to sing, but she swore she could listen to Beth sing all day if she let her.

"Katie won't stop playing it. So what's up?" He asked, frowning slightly at the voice in the background. He swore he could hear a little girl singing on Quinn's end of the line, but that didn't make sense. The only little girl she could ever stand to be around was his sister, who was in Lima, and Beth who was God knows where.

"I don't think it's something to talk about over the phone. Why don't you come over?" She suggested, jumping to her feet as Beth tripped over. Thank God for carpet. "Oh, baby, are you ok?" She asked worriedly, kneeling beside Beth who frowned for a moment as if thinking it through, before nodding and getting back up.

"Can you kiss it better?" Beth asked, holding her elbow out to Quinn. Of course there was nothing there to kiss better, at least not on this arm, but Quinn did so anyway, her lips gentle against her skin.

"Better?" Quinn murmured, stroking over her elbow, hoping to bring her baby comfort, even if there was nothing really wrong with her. "Watch where you're going, ballerina."

"Q? Are you still there?" Puck asked, his voice strangely husky, wobbly, as if he already knew what she wanted to talk to him about, as if he somehow knew Beth was there with her. She had almost forgotten she was still on the phone, Beth having taken the number one priority spot.

"I'm here. Come over, the door's open," she told him before hanging up, Beth giving her a funny look, hands on her hips. "What's that look for, missy"

"The door's not open, liar."

* * *

"Quinn? Are you home?!" Puck called, stepping into the warm house, closing the door behind him. It wasn't at all what he had expected from her. The house was small and warm, smelling of spaghetti and homemade cookies. It looked and smelt like a home.

"Who are you?" Beth asked, coming out into the hallway, standing before Quinn with a protective frown on her face, hands on hips. Quinn was nice, she let her spill and watch Frozen, so if this man thought he was taking her away, he had another thing coming.

"Beth, this is Noah. He's your daddy," Quinn smiled, her hands on Beth's shoulders as Puck stared at them in shock, his jaw falling open. "Puck, I promise I'll explain later."

Puck let out a long, shuddering breath before kneeling down to be eye level with his daughter who smiled at him. "Do I get a hug, monkey face?" He asked, extending his arms to the little blonde. She looked so much like Quinn, it was unreal. She was Quinn, right down to the nervous lip bite.

Quinn was about to explain to him that Beth didn't do hugs just yet when the little girl pulled free of her hold, running to throw her arms around Puck's neck, hugging him tight. She couldn't help the jealousy that began to churn her stomach as Puck scooped their baby up into a hug. It wasn't fair, Beth was always turning to Puck instead of her, and she was the one that gave birth to her. She was the one keeping up a fake relationship to keep the child that preferred her father over her.

"Hey, baby. Have you been having a good time with your mommy?" Puck asked, bouncing Beth in his arms, noting the hurt in Quinn's eyes. He made a mental note to ask her about it later. To ask her about a lot of things, actually.

"Quinn made me spaghetti and we watched Frozen," Beth told him, looking over at the older blonde who offered her a small smile before heading into the kitchen. "So if you're really my daddy, can you show me how to ride a bike?"

"I'm sure we can do that. Let's go find your mom, huh?" He smiled, carrying her towards the kitchen.

"Quinn," Beth corrected, sucking on her teeth. Sure Quinn was nice to her but she had a mom already, she wasn't so sure she was ready for another.

* * *

"How did you do it?" Puck asked, coming up behind Quinn who was watching Beth sleep in the guest room that she would turn into a bedroom tomorrow for her. "How did you get her back?"

"Shelby died in a car accident. I've been trying for years to get her back and I finally did. Or I thought I had, but she just doesn't feel it like I do," Quinn sighed, leaning against the doorway and running her hand over her flat stomach.

"It's only been a few days, Quinn. Give her some time, she'll come around," he murmured, slipping his arms around her waist.

"You don't know that," she sniffed, shaking her head and pulling free, heading down the hall to her bedroom, she really just wanted to sleep. To sleep and clear her mind.

"I don't," he admitted, leaning against her doorway, watching her strip off her clothes. "But I know that you're too good of a person for her to not love you. You're a good mom, Q. You know that."

Quinn let out a guilty sigh, closing her eyes for a moment. He shouldn't be comforting her, not after what she had done, what she was still doing. But she needed this relationship to look as real as she could make it. Everyone had to believe it, so the judge would, too. "Stay. Lie with me, hold me," she breathed, holding her hand out to him.

Puck nodded and walked over to her bed, stripping down to his boxers and climbing into the bed with her, holding her close to him. "It'll all work out the way it's supposed to, you'll see," he promised, reaching over her to turn the lamp off.

"I hope so," she sighed, holding his arm around her. Even if all she got out of this fake relationship was comfort and companionship, it was better than what she had before. It was better than being alone and he really did bring her comfort.

They had barely been in bed for ten minutes before the door creaked open, small feet pattering across the wooden floor and the mattress shifting as a tiny body climbed into bed with them. Beth climbed over Puck to fit herself in between him and Quinn, staying mostly in his arms, but wrapping a small arm loosely around Quinn's waist, too. It was perfect, it was every thing Quinn had ever dreamt of. A family.

If only she wasn't making this whole thing up. It wouldn't last, couldn't last. Lies always caught up with her in the end and Puck would hate her when he found out the truth.

And that felt almost as bad as the guilt churning up her stomach.

* * *

_**So I know this chapter was pretty boring but it's here for build up and background if you will. The next chapter will be more interesting, I pinkie promise ;) **_


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